Bashar al-Assad confers with UAE defense minister, horse race brings friends together
Syria-United Arab Emirates, Politics, 5/6/1999

Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday received in Palmyra Sheikh Muhammad Bin Rashed al-Maktoum, Dubai's crown prince and the minister of defense in the United Arab Emirates, who had arrived in Syria on Tuesday to take part, together with his three sons in the "tolerance and capability" race held in the Palmyran desert in the framework of the seventh al-Badia festival.

Replying to questions from journalists, al-Assad said the visit of Sheikh Muhammad "and our brothers from the UAE and other Arab brothers, is but a source of our pride" in maintaining Arab solidarity in all political, social, economic, sport, and cultural Arab fields.

The race, which is being for the first time in Syria, started with the participation of 59 racers from Syria, the UAE and Jordan at 6 a.m. Wednesday and lasted until after 1 p.m.

It was held in four stages over a total area of 120 km. The race witnessed great competition, especially in its last stages. The first three positions were won by Sheikh Muhammad's three sons as follows:

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Muhammad al-Maktoum; Sheikh Rashed Bin Muhammad Al-Maktoum and Sheikh Maktoum Bin Muhammad al-Maktoum.

Syrian equestrian Abdul Ghani Saleh won the fourth position.

Syrian Defence Minister Lt. Gen. Mustafa Tlass awarded the three first finishers with their cups.

The racers covered the 120 km distance, divided into four stages, at an average of 24.5 km per hour, while the average international speed of such a race does not exceed 18 km per hour.

Some 59 Arabian horses took part in the race, 47 from Syria, nine from the UAE and three from Jordan.

Prizes awarded at the race were estimated at 13 million Syrian pounds (one million UAE dirhams), offered by Sheikh Muhammad Rashed al-Maktoum.

The first three UAE winners gave up their financial awards to be distributed among other Syrian and Jordanian equestrians.

Previous Stories:
  Syrian al-Badia festival witnesses great turnout   (5/5/1999)
  Damascus hosts international conference for information technology   (4/26/1999)
  Syria's President al-Assad receives message from UAE counterpart   (4/13/1999)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search